Sandia National Laboratories Tested Solar Coffee Roasting

Researchers developed a system that uses stored solar heat to replace natural gas in coffee drum roasters.

Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Energy

A stainless steel coffee roasting drum paired with a rock-filled thermal storage unit in a sunlit industrial laboratory. — Sandia National Laboratories successfully tested a solar-powered system using rock-based thermal storage to replace natural gas in coffee drum roasters. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque recently tested a new solar-powered system designed to heat coffee roasting drums. The technology uses photovoltaic energy stored in a bed of rocks to reach the high temperatures required for the roasting process.

Why it matters

The project aims to decrease the carbon footprint of the coffee industry by reducing reliance on natural gas in traditional drum roasters. Improved thermal efficiency may also allow roasters to increase their daily production capacity.

The system utilizes a radial packed-bed design filled with rocks to store heat, reaching up to 600 degrees Celsius. This method successfully produced light, medium, and dark roasts while accelerating roasting times for dark batches.

The players

Sandia National Laboratories

This is a federally funded research and development center that conducts advanced science and engineering for the U.S. Department of Energy.

The details

The solar-powered system works by converting photovoltaic energy into heat that is stored within a rock-filled bed and subsequently released into the drum. This innovation is protected by U.S. Patent No. 11,549,761 and is expected to boost output by enabling faster preheating and cooling cycles.

In 2022, Sandia performed solar-powered green chile roasting tests.
In September 2026, Sandia announced the results of the coffee roasting experiment.

The Big Picture

The study validates the practical application of U.S. Patent No. 11,549,761 in thermal-storage technology for industrial food processing. This successful testing marks a shift from theoretical energy storage toward specific, high-heat applications that can replace fossil fuel dependency in small-scale manufacturing.

If this technology reaches commercial availability, local coffee roasters could significantly lower their energy costs and carbon emissions. The system's ability to facilitate faster roasting times may also lead to higher operational throughput for small businesses.

The takeaway

The successful application of solar-powered roasting demonstrates how high-temperature thermal storage can solve specific industrial energy challenges. Albuquerque is an ideal setting for these trials given the city averages approximately 300 sunny days per year.